Andrea Giani

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Competitor for Italy
Olympic medalist
(photo courtesy of [1])
Medal record
Men’s Volleyball
Silver	1996 Atlanta	Team Competition
Bronze	2000 Sydney	Team Competition
Silver	2004 Athens	Team Competition

Andrea Giani (born April 22, 1970 in Naples) is an Italian volleyball player who scored notable successes in the 1990s, winning three World Championships with his national team. He is 196 cm tall.

[edit] Career

Since his very first years, the young Andrea showed exceptional physical features. Giani’s father, Dario, was a rower who had took part to the 1964 Summer Olympics for Italy. After having trained with the father, now a rowing coach, in and tried for brief period as a football player, in 1985 the 14 y.o. Giani began his career as a volleyball player in the local team of Sabaudia, in the Southern Latium, where he lived. Soon news about his qualities spread and attracted attention from the two main volleyball club of Italy of the period: Panini Modena and Santal (later Maxicono) Parma.

Giani was chosen to play for the latter, initially with the junior team under Gian Paolo Montali as coach. Giani’s first final for scudetto in the Parma’s major team was in 1987. Parma was defeated, as well as in the following seasons. Giani won in 1990 his first scudetto: it was to be followed by four more. In the meantime, in 1998, Giani had scored against Finland his first cap for the Italian national team: his career with the Azzurri colours ended in 2005 after a total of 474 caps (record), becoming one of the most renowned players in Italy and in the world for his excellent technical and jumping capabilities. With Italy Giani won three world titles in a row (1990, 1994 and 1998) and four European (1993, 1995, 1999, 2003), and many others. He won three medals at the Olympic Games but his team never won the gold medal, even though Italy was generally considered the top favourites.

During his career Giani became renowned for his polyvalence: starting as a middle blocker, he turned into an equally effective power attacker and passer. Coach Bebeto, who trained him in Parma and in the national team, declared: "he is a manna for every coach". Giani is considered one of the best blocker of 1990s for his capability to stay in the air far longer than the other players.

After having quit the national team, Giani is playing for Cimone Modena, though thinking to a future as a manager for a club or the national team itself. His nickname is Giangio.